Page 1 of 330 The Monthly National Legislation Report 7/5/2010 ...

The Monthly National Legislation Reporthttp://mnlreport.typepad.com/Page 27 of 3307/5/2010 Separate licenses for each premise.At least one inspection annually, during normal business hours of each facility kept by the licensee.Additional inspections based on written complaints received by the Board.License display requirements at the licensed facility.License number disclosure requirements on advertisements, sales contracts, and transfer agreements.Annual reporting requirements.Record-keeping requirements for each dog maintained in a licensee’s facility.Licensees who violate the act may have their license revoked, and be subject to a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and/or a year in jail. Those who interfere with an inspectormay be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or two years in jail.Next Steps:The measure created an 8-member "Board of Commercial Breeders" to develop specific regulations and enforce and administer the provisions of the act. This new board is required to beginmeeting in June and to adopt all rules by November 1, 2010. All licensees are required to come into compliance by January 1, 2011.The AKC has not yet received specific information on board members, but we do know the board will consist of the following:A representative of the dog or cat breeding industry appointed by the Governor.A representative of an animal welfare association appointed by the Governor.A representative of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association appointed by the Governor.A representative at large appointed by the Governor.The Dean of the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences or designee.The Dean of the Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Administration or designee.The Chair of the Oklahoma Tax Commission or designee.The purpose of the board will be to:Adopt rules establishing license fees, procedures and requirements for license application and renewal, conditions under which licenses are revoked or denied, and qualifications forregistered breeder inspectors.Establish minimum standards for proper veterinary care, treatment, feeding and watering, shelter and confinement, grooming, exercise, socialization, transportation, disposition of dogs,and other standards it deems necessary to protect the public health and the health and welfare of animals.Establish and maintain a public directory of licensed commercial pet breeders.All licensees are required to come into compliance by January 1, 2011.Again, the AKC urges all dog owners and breeder to know, understand, and comply with laws of their jurisdictions.For more information, check the AKC GR website, www.akc.org/canine_legislation, for updates or contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or doglaw@akc.org.PENNSYLVANIAGreencastle – (5/1/10) - Activists take up cause of tethered dogs. Across the Tri-State area, residents have taken the cause of tethered dogs to the local level in the interest of publicsafety and animal welfare. Bills regulating dog tethering repeatedly have died in the Maryland and Pennsylvania general assemblies and the West Virginia Legislature, said Theresa Rutter,founder of Justice for Dogs, a Frederick, Md.-based lobby. Yet grass-roots efforts at the county and municipal levels are making headway, she said. Most recently, residents in Greencastleand Berkeley County, W.Va., have put the question to their representatives and asked for action. Berkeley County will vote May 13 on an anti-tethering ordinance. Greencastle has yet toconsider the change, while Justice for Dogs has approached the Franklin County Commissioners for action.Greencastle Borough – (5/4/10) - Dog treatment regulations debated at Greencastle Borough Council Monday night. A new dog ordinance was tied up by Greencastle BoroughCouncil Monday night. After a lengthy, somewhat heated discussion with borough residents, council decided to send the issue of a dog ordinance to the public safety committee. With legalitya concern, Solicitor Sam Wiser of Salzmann Hughes in Chambersburg looked into the issue of boroughs enacting animal protection ordinances. “A borough can really only pass an ordinanceregarding loose dogs,” Wiser said. The Pennsylvania Legislature does not give boroughs the power to determine proper care of an animal, Wiser explained. However, a borough could step inif the animal’s care becomes a nuisance, like unsanitary conditions, Wiser added. After 30 minutes of discussion, Eckstine said the issue of a dog ordinance would be passed to the publicsafety committee for review and would be discussed at the next council meeting, June 7. Following the meeting, Greencastle Police Chief John Phillippy said police officers could issuecitations for something that is black and white — for example if a dog is on a leash or not. However, when it comes to matters of treatment, specialized training is needed.Providence Township – (5/11/10) – Group proposes new kennel law in Providence Township. Nearly a year after a group of residents formed to oppose "puppy mills" in ProvidenceTownship, they handed township supervisors a proposed solution to the problem. Since a controversial kennel was approved last June, Providence Against Cruel Kennels, known as PACK,has been working to draft an ordinance that would regulate kennels in the township. On May 3, Barry Longenecker, PACK coordinator, discussed an ordinance the group drafted that wouldmove kennels from the agricultural area to the commercial or industrial area while putting a cap on their size. "This ordinance is not about limiting the improvement of bloodlines that ahobbyist would do, but this is about "farming dogs," Longenecker told supervisors in presenting his group's proposal during the board's monthly meeting. "Dogs are not livestock and dogfarming is not something this community agrees with," he said. Longenecker told the supervisors the ordinance had been drafted with the help of an attorney and reflects the wishes ofresidents. In addition to moving kennels out of the agricultural area, the ordinance would specify that a kennel can't have more than 30 dogs, Longenecker said. About 30 people attended themeeting, most of them because of the kennel issue. Shaffer said the draft ordinance would be presented to a committee that is now being formed to make recommendations about upgradingthe township's zoning ordinance.Washington County & Greene County – (5/28/10) - State animal enforcement to check local pet licenses. Washington County Treasurer Francis King said the state Department ofAgriculture's Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement will be visiting the area this summer to ensure pets are licensed and vaccinated. State law requires that all dogs 3 months old and older belicensed by Jan. 1 of each year. The fee is $6 for each spayed and neutered dog and $8 for other dogs. Senior citizens and those with disabilities pay $2 less. Rabies vaccines are requiredfor all dogs and any cat that enters a dwelling. The maximum fine per violation of the licensing requirement or rabies law is $300. A district judge also can add court costs. Justin Fleming,spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture, said dog wardens may go door-to-door asking dog owners to show their pets' licenses. Canvassing checks dogs for current licenses andcanines and felines for current vaccines against rabies, which is deadly to humans if untreated. The jurisdiction of an animal control officer is different from that of a dog warden, who does notfile animal cruelty charges but only enforces licensing regulations. Dog wardens need the owner's permission to enter private property, except for unannounced inspections of commercialkennels. Licensed kennel owners who refuse to allow a dog warden on their property can be cited.